venire facias
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A writ directing the sheriff to assemble a jury. So called from its opening Latin words — "Cause to come.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “venire facias” mean?
A writ directing the sheriff to assemble a jury. So called from its opening Latin words — "Cause to come.
Is “venire facias” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.